


Frozen Tears

by Spunky0ne



Series: Pieces of a Shattered Moon [16]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental/Emotional Trauma, Mpreg, Prisoner abuse, Rape, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-21 04:53:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20687807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: Byakuya and Renji's son, discovers a lone survivor from a noble prison, rumored to exist, but never found. As he explores the young man's past, the two youths and Byakuya and Renji are caught up in a centuries old conflict that could tear the clan apart. Some do not want Tetsuya's story told, and would do anything to silence him.





	1. The Lost Soul

A lovely black hell butterfly flitted along over the rugged foothills, just to the east of Kuchiki Manor as the sun was setting. It floated up over a small stand of trees and found Takeo Kuchiki, where he stood, studying and oddity in the reiatsu that had brought him out to the deserted area.

"Captain Abarai," Momo's sweet voice said, rising up out of the hovering creature, "We have completed our investigation and have found no sign of whatever was causing the earlier reiatsu fluctuations. We are on our way to you."

"Hmmm," Takeo murmured, only half listening.

He studied the landscape around him, his red-brown eyes scanning for the presence he had felt only moments before.

"Where did you go?" he whispered, looking left, then right, then moving towards a cluster of rocks ahead of him.

As he approached the rocks, a high pitched, frightened sounding squeal rose up ahead of him, and he stopped and stared, his hand on his zanpakutou as a tall black Arabian stallion burst out from behind the rocks, raced towards him, then slid to a stop, snorting nervously and showing the whites of his lovely, wide sapphire blue eyes.

"Whoa," Takeo said soothingly, "Easy there. I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me."

He smiled at the stallion as he stood, tilting his ears towards the young captain.

"Ah, you are an intelligent creature, ne? You know a friendly soul when you see one?" he added, "I don't suppose you could help me find the source of the disturbance around here, eh?"

_Please, help us!_

Takeo stiffened, his eyes blinking in surprise and a curious expression coming onto his face. He stood still, looking into the pretty beast's blue eyes curiously.

"Okay, this is going to sound a little strange," he muttered, loud enough so that the horse could hear, "but...did you speak to me?"

_You hear me?_

"Erm..." Takeo said, looking perplexed, "I heard _something_. Either you're somehow communicating by speaking into my mind, or I've been spending too many nights helping my father transcribe those old myths in the family archive. This is really weird, but I'm under orders to find out what's going on here, so I'm gonna go out on a limb here and just ask you. Who are you? Where did you come from? Do you know what is causing those reiatsu disturbances?"

The stallion gazed at him quizzically for a moment, then let out a shuddering sigh.

_You can hear me! Thank kami! I am Arashi. I do not know where I came from, but we need your help! We are trapped!_

"Ah...o-kay," Takeo answered, looking around, "Who's 'we'? Were you with someone? You say that person is trapped. Can you show me where?"

_In the prison. We are in Itamigiri!_

Takeo's eyes widened at the name, his lips frowning and his mind wheeling back to his work in the archive, to the clan leader diaries and the old stories of the illegal noble prisons said to have housed nobles of mixed blood.

"Itamigiri?" he repeated, stepping closer to the stallion and studying him more closely. He saw then the more ghostly nature of the beast, the way that, even though he stood close by, his reiatsu was hard to sense and he looked slightly blurred around the edges

"You don't look like a normal spirit steed," he mused, "What are you?"

_Please...please help us. We are trapped!_

"I understand," Takeo said, looking more calmly into the stallion's eyes and sensing his distress, "I will help you. Take me to where your friend is trapped."

He made a sound of surprise as the horse's head dipped and the beast's velvety muzzle tickled his cheek.

_Thank you. We are grateful. We have been trapped for a long time._

"All right, then," Takeo sighed, steadying, "I'm _not_ crazy. This horse _is_ talking to me. And someone is..."

He paused, remembering his careful training.

_"You don't want to get hasty. Remember that, kid. Think things through before you act and always have someone watch your back."_

_"Yes, Father," he answered, smiling up at Renji, "Sorry, I mean, Captain Abarai."_

_"Don't worry about it," Renji chuckled._

_"It is kind of funny, though," Takeo went on, smirking, "You talking to me about not being impetuous."_

_Renji scowled._

_"Hey! Knock that off, runt! Who's the captain here, anyway? I'll have you in the brig for insubordination!"_

"Dad," he whispered thoughtfully.

He looked back at the horse and nodded.

"My vice captain is almost here. We will help you. Don't worry."

_Again, I thank you!_

He waited as the reiatsu of his approaching comrades closed in on their position, noting the way the tall stallion stiffened and shivered anxiously as they approached.

"Easy, friend," he said reassuringly, "The ones approaching are my subordinates. They will not harm you or your friend. We are going to help you."

He heard no reply from the beast, but felt his weak reiatsu calm.

"Captain!" Momo cried out as she reached them.

She skidded to a stop, staring at the tall, lovely stallion that stood beside Takeo. Arashi paused and his eyes touched hers briefly, then he nickered softly in greeting.

"Momo, this is Arashi," Takeo explained, "He was with a friend and said that his friend became trapped."

"He talks?" the young woman asked, blinking and looking up at the stallion again.

"Eh..." Takeo answered, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "K-kinda. Anyway, there's someone trapped in an old prison just up here. Come with me and..._be vigilant_, okay?"

Momo's eyes narrowed slightly at his words and she nodded.

"Yes, Captain."

The four officers who had accompanied her spread out around them, scanning the area cautiously as the group moved forward onto an old trail. As they moved forward, the forest became more wild and tangled, the thick trees blocking out much of the light. Takeo studied the area around them and watched the stallion carefully as they trod on, but Arashi's demeanor remained calm and unruffled. He led them to what looked like a large stone cliff, then stopped.

"What is this?" Takeo asked, "I don't think we can get through here. Arashi...?"

_It is an illusion. Touch it with your zanpakutou._

"C-captain?" Momo queried in a flustered voice, "are you talking to the horse?"

"Eh...yeah," Takeo replied, flushing slightly, "You mean, you don't hear him?"

Momo looked from Arashi to Takeo and back again, then shook her head.

"No, sir."

"Great," Takeo sighed, "Look, take my word for it. He's got some way to make me hear him in my mind."

"Of course, Captain," Momo responded, her eyes still betraying an edge of doubt.

Takeo gave another displeased sigh and drew his weapon. He touched the tip to the rock in front of him and waited.

For a moment, nothing happened, then there was a loud cracking sound and the image of the rock faded. Instead, in front of them, they found something hard, cold and faintly blue.

"I-is that...ice?" Momo asked incredulously, reaching out to touch it.

Takeo caught her hand just short of touching it.

"Careful," he warned her, "This is a shinigami ability. Do you feel the reiatsu? It is like that horse's."

He turned to Arashi.

"Did you freeze this area?" he asked.

Arashi paused, then blinked several times, thinking.

_I don't know. But I don't remember making that ice. I think it was him._

"Him?" Takeo repeated, earning a curious look from his stymied vice captain, "Who is this friend you keep referring to?"

_I don't know exactly who he is, only that he is in pain and could not escape from that place. I heard his voice in my mind and he was screaming for help. Please, you must save him!_

Takeo studied the ice carefully, scanning it to explore it's dimensions and content. He paused, sucking in a surprised breath as something registered.

"Kami! Someone is in there!" he gasped.

"Captain, what do you mean?" Momo asked, looking alarmed, "How could anyone...?"

"Momo!" Takeo said excitedly, "Can you apply your power to melt this ice? You would have to work around any souls that are trapped within it? Can you do that? Can you melt the ice without harming the soul or souls in it?"

"Eh...yes, sir," the young woman said, drawing her weapon.

She breathed a soft command to the zanpakutou she held, and the group watched as the ice in front of them shimmered and started to melt. The task took some time, with Momo focusing deeply and carefully managing her weapon. It was nearly two hours later when she finally withdrew her power and looked back at Takeo questioningly.

"The way is clear, Captain," she reported, "But, I only sensed one living soul ahead of us. The reiatsu is very weak. Whoever it is, is unconscious."

"All right," Takeo said, moving forward with his senses extended, "Weapons at the ready and scouts spread out. Be ready for trouble. I don't think we'll run into anyone. I think Momo's assessment is correct, but we'll be careful."

He stepped forward into the darker environment, examining the dripping walls of rock that led into what seemed to be some kind of underground facility.

_Is this really that old prison?_ Takeo mused inwardly, _If it is, it's monumental! Itamigiri was an illegal prison that was rumored to exist, but was never actually located. No one ever emerged to tell if the stories about it were true. It is one of the great mysteries of our time! Byakuya is going to be floored if this is really Itamigiri._

_It has special significance to him, because he searched endlessly for it, but could never find it...not in all of the years he looked!_

The entry corridor opened into a large entry room with broken stone gates at either end. The group walked slowly through the tumbled pieces of shattered rock. As they progressed, Takeo noted a darkness to the rock and studied it more closely.

"There was fire here," he noted.

The group passed through the inner gates and found themselves in a large cellblock. On either side, partially burned bodies laid in the cells and haphazardly about the floor. The officers with Takeo checked each, noting the position and condition of the bodies.

"Captain," Momo whispered sadly, "What happened here?"

"I'm not sure," Takeo answered, "but we're going to find out."

Takeo honed in on the source of the reiatsu he had sensed, and passed through the cellblock, then moved on into an inner grounds, where he found more collapsed bodies. He sensed that flicker of life ahead of him and moved forward more quickly, gently moving aside the body of what appeared to be a guard, then freezing as he uncovered two poorly dressed youths, one holding the other's deceased form tightly.

Takeo gently parted the two and laid the still living prisoner on his back. He made a sound of surprise as he was stricken by the porcelain features beneath the dirt and grime on his face, the fine-carved face and slender throat, the more delicate look of him that reminded Takeo instantly of Byakuya.

"Is he...alive, Captain?" Momo queried.

"Yes, though I don't know how." Takeo remarked.

Momo leaned over the young man and began an infusion of healing reiatsu.

"He's ice cold, but he doesn't seem to be affected by it," Momo observed, "His injuries are minor, but he is severely undernourished. He appears to have been beaten."

Momo gently loosened the ragged yukata he wore and examined him more closely.

"He has been repeatedly sexually assaulted, and it appears some of the abuse happened in a time frame close to when this area was frozen."

"Take samples of everything," Takeo ordered, touching the young man's comely face lightly, "I want everything documented."

"Yes sir!"

Takeo added his own flow of healing reiatsu as Momo continued her examination of the young man. At the touch of his reiatsu, the young man stirred slightly, then his eyelids fluttered and opened, revealing large, frightened sapphire eyes that reminded Takeo instantly of the stallion that had summoned them. But as he looked around for the creature, he realized it had disappeared.

"Wh-who are you?" the injured prisoner asked, his voice shaking, "Are you g-going to hurt me?"

"No," Takeo said quietly, "We heard that you were trapped here and we came in to rescue you. I am Takeo Abarai-Kuchiki, captain of the fifth division and this is Momo Hinamori, my vice captain."

"Th-thank you for coming," the young man said in a wavering voice, "But...could you check on my friend?"

"The one you were embracing?" Takeo asked.

"Yes."

"I am sorry," the captain said sympathetically, "You were the only one we found here who is alive."

The young man's blue eyes filled with tears.

"N-naoki?"

"I am sorry. He is gone. You are the only survivor of...whatever happened here."

Tears rolled down the injured youth's face, making long streaks in the muck that coated his fine skin.

"There now, it's going to be all right," Takeo assured him, "I will make sure that you are well taken care of. You won't be hurt. Do you think you can stand?"

The young man took hold of Takeo's arm and sat up slowly, then tried to come to his feet, but staggered instantly and collapsed into Takeo's arms.

_Kami, he's so thin! He barely weighs anything!_

"S-sorry," the youth apologized, looking up into Takeo's widened eyes, "I don't seem to have any strength."

"You were trapped in the ice for a long time, it seems. Your horse friend said that this is Itamigiri. Is that true?"

"Horse friend?" the young man queried, leaning heavily against Takeo, "I don't know a horse. But, yes, this is Itamigiri."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Someone was near to finding the prison," the young man explained, "They started to execute all of us. Then, there was fighting and...the prison was on fire. One of the guards killed Naoki, then he was going to kill me. I don't know what happened after that. I just remember holding Naoki, then it was quiet for a long time. Then, you came!"

"How long have you been here?" Takeo asked, "When did all of this happen?"

"I don't know," the youth replied, shivering and resting his head wearily on Takeo's shoulder, "I don't know at all. They said that the young Lord Byakuya was looking for us, but he never found us."

"Young Lord Byakuya?" Takeo repeated, "You know of my father?"

"Your father?" the injured youth asked, looking confused, "Lord Byakuya was a teen like me! He couldn't be...married?"

Takeo tightened his hold on the other young man as his legs trembled and started to give way again. He lifted the youth off his feet and started back towards the prison entrance.

"Well, we will question you later," Takeo informed him, "I'll take you to a safe place where you can be healed, then we will iron out just who you are. But can you tell me your name?"

"Ah...the young man panted dizzily, his eyelids fluttering as he began to lose consciousness, "My n-name is...Tetsuya...T-tetsuya Kuchiki."


	2. A Little Savage

Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki watched as the house healer leaned over Tetsuya’s unmoving form, scanning his body carefully before straightening.

“So, Miki?” Takeo prompted the elderly man, “how is he? Is he going to be all right?”

“Well,” the healer answered, “he is recovering physically, although I warn you he is very, very weak and malnourished. I am going to start him on intravenous fluids and a reiatsu line to stabilize him. He is sleeping comfortably now and he should wake once his systems are in better balance. The pregnancy, however, is going to be a challenge.”

“Pregnancy?” Takeshi mused, blinking, “You mean, like with…?”

“Yes,” Miki answered, nodding, “like with your fathers.”

The younger shinigamis gave him a stymied look.

“But,” Takeshi objected, glancing at the others, then back at the healer, “our fathers were affected by the king’s power. Does this mean that Tetsuya was gifted that way as well?”

Miki shrugged and shook his head.

“I don’t know how it happened, only that the signs are clear. He is with child, and he is also close to delivery.”

“But…he doesn’t look like Daddy Bya or Daddy Ren did when they become pregnant,” Chisaki added, “You can’t even tell by looking at him, unless you look very closely.”

“That is probably because of the abuse and neglect this poor boy has suffered, and I am sure it is why he was able to carry the child this long,” Miki explained, “If he was a prisoner in Itamigiri, then they would have killed him upon realizing he was pregnant. Pregnancy in a male shinigami is considered a divine gift and in the days of the prison, it was considered abhorrent for such a gift to show itself in an _unworthy_ mixed blood, like this boy.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Takeshi spat, “They would question who the gods were allowed to favor?”

“That’s terrible. It’s so unfair,” Chisaki said sadly, looking down at Tetsuya’s troubled sleeping face.

“I should remind you that there are those in our family and in the other noble families who still carry the old prejudices in their hearts,” the healer informed them, “In addition to that, you should be aware that even though things have changed, this boy’s life and well-being will be endangered by those who do not accept change well, and who work in the shadows in opposition to our current rules.”

“I won’t allow that,” Takeshi said firmly, “I may be young, but I am this clan’s leader, and I will not stand by and let something happen to my kinsman.”

“Lord Kuchiki,” the healer said solemnly, “you are wise to take a strong stance in this. I was a younger man in the days when the mixed bloods were persecuted, and I agree it was a terrible, horrible time. Back then, it was difficult to deal with, because not only did a lot of people harbor ill will towards the mixed bloods, many more were apathetic towards them and just tried to ignore what was right in front of them. I am sure that you will win the open support of the council on this, with a couple of exceptions, but I think it would be wise to seek and gain the support of elder family members who were a part of those times and who witnessed some of the ugliness that went on. I am sorry, sir. I do not mean to suggest you…”

“It’s okay,” Takeshi said calmly, “I only recently came of age and ascended to leadership, and my father was careful to educate me in the importance of making connections with the right people in the family to win council support when I need it.”

He paused, thinking for a moment, then nodded.

“I believe you’re right, Miki, and I think that the first person I need to speak to about this is Byakuya, himself. He was alive in the time of the persecution of the mixed bloods. He even told us how our grandfather, Soujun, had a favored cousin, whom he believed was abducted and taken to one of the hidden prisons. Soujun and Byakuya, after him, searched for the prison, and for records to prove to the family that the prisons really existed. But, neither was ever able to locate Itamigiri or the other prisons. It was one of their greatest regrets. I am sure that he will want to know about this, and that he will support me.”

“You’re right,” Takeo agreed, “I know Father will want to help with this.”

“Okay,” Takeshi decided, “I’ll send a hell butterfly and inform him. Maybe he can suggest where to look in the Kuchiki archive. And while we wait for answers, I’ll go to the archive, myself and check in Byakuya’s clan leader diary.”

He started to leave, then stopped and turned back to face his half-brother and sister.

“I think it goes without saying that Tetsuya should not be left unguarded, and that because we don’t know who we can trust, we should rely on each other. Takeo and Chisaki, I need you to ask Aunt Rukia to set up an around the clock schedule, so that one of you is always with him. And because there are only a few of us we’re sure of…Chisaki, I want you to travel to Karakura Town and ask for help from our mother.”

“I will go right now,” Chisaki assured him, shifting to her lovely avian form.

The men in the room watched her leave, then the healer finished his assessment and exited, leaving Takeo and Takeshi alone with Tetsuya.

“I am going to send that hell butterfly and get started on the research,” Takeshi informed his half-brother.

“I will stay here with Tetsuya and watch over him until the watch is set up.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Takeshi left the room and Takeo sat down in a chair beside the bed. He felt an odd stirring in his chest as he looked down at the young man’s comely face that only now seemed to be relaxing as the rest, medications and nutrition worked to stabilize him.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured his deeply sleeping charge, “you are safe now, Tetsuya, and we are going to keep it that way. I promise you, I will not let anyone hurt you or your baby.”

His hand found one of Tetsuya’s and held it comfortingly. He started to speak softly to the young man again, but then lost his breath as the hands that touched began to glow softly and Tetsuya’s sapphire eyes opened and squinted up at him, looking as surprised as his own.

“This,” Takeo managed in a shocked tone, “it’s _resonance_!”

XXXXXXXXXX

Morning sunlight crept in through a window and warmed the two sleeping shinigamis that rested within the royal palace suite. Byakuya shifted, breathing in more deeply, his lips smiling as he registered that his arms were still around Renji’s naked, deeply sleeping form, and that his hands were instinctively caressing his pregnant mate’s slightly rounded belly. Little flickers touched his heart at the sensation of two little souls radiating beneath his hands.

_Yet another set of twins. I suppose I should not be surprised by now. In any case, we will have plenty of assistance taking care of them. Akane and Akiko are now at an age to be more helpful, that is, when they are not working together to come up with some kind of playful mischief. It nags at me sometimes that Renji and I missed the earliest years of Chiasa and Kisho’s lives because of his entrapment within the rift and my collapse and long, near-death slumber. But, even having had that separation from us, they are thriving. They are a constant source of comfort and happiness to Renji as he struggles with continued tests and therapies to try to rebuild the strength in his back and legs. We both know that the longer he goes on without some sign of improvement, the less chance there will be an answer. Still, I choose to place my faith where it has always been…in the heart of this handsome, reckless red-haired warrior, who has never, ever failed to be there for his husband and family._

_Yes, Renji, I believe that you will walk again…walk, run, dance…and fight._

_That is who you are._

Byakuya’s smooth fingers traced the wild lines on the sleeping fighter’s belly and sides, kissing the back of his neck and nuzzling the back of a tattooed shoulder. The redhead stirred and started to smile, then he groaned uncomfortably as Byakuya rubbed his belly tenderly and infused the area with his reiatsu.

“O-oh, that’s better,” the redhead sighed, moving to give his husband better access.

His smile morphed into a playful smirk and he turned suddenly and somehow managed to flip his unsuspecting partner onto his back. He crawled on top of his paler mate, flinching at the nagging ache in his back, and he grinned down at Byakuya.

“Of course, y’know what would feel even better…” he laughed.

Byakuya let out an amused huff of breath and relaxed his body.

“You did not get much sleep last night,” Byakuya commented, tilting his head back to let his amorous partner nibble the soft flesh of his exposed throat, “Are you sure you should be exerting yourself like this?”

“I’m good,” Renji assured him, engaging Byakuya’s warm, hungry mouth for a bout of intense, open-mouthed kisses as his hands roamed over the raven-haired hogosha’s chest and worked their way down to his awakened genitals, “Looks like you’re wide awake too.”

“I am always awake at this time of morning, though you usually sleep later than I do.”

“Hey,” Renji snapped softly, “What did I tell you about trying to coddle me?”

“I was not coddling,” Byakuya objected, “I was merely pointing out that you usually require more rest than I do.”

“Well, right now, what I _require_ is sex with my very beautiful husband.”

“Hmm,” Byakuya sighed, “and I don’t suppose you’ll wait until I give you an infusion? You are, after all, carrying twins.”

The redhead carefully lifted himself and laid down on his back again, watching as Byakuya sat up next to him and opened his yukata to bare his tattooed belly. Slender fingertips traced the markings as a soft pink reiatsu leaked out of Byakuya’s hands and seeped into Renji’s naked abdomen.

“It feels really, really good with you do that,” Renji groaned happily, “Don’t stop, like _ever_!”

“Well, I have to stop eventually,” Byakuya chided him gently, “I am not without limits, powerful though I may be.”

“Yeah?” Renji chuckled, “How about we test those limits? Show me how beautiful and powerful my lover is.”

“Abarai…”

“C’mon,” Renji teased, kissing his soft lips until they were smiling, “I’m balanced already, and you know that makes me horny as hell!”

“I am aware,” Byakuya answered, smirking, “Very well, then. You wish to see my power? Be careful what you ask for…”

Renji grinned widely as pink light began to glow around his noble lover, and lovely pink sakura ropes slid out of his hands and curled all around Renji’s body, sliding sensuously along the flesh of strong arm and muscular thigh, teasing him into burgeoning arousal and leaving him piqued and restless. Then, one slim tendril wrapped around Renji’s tattooed and fully engorged member, caressing and at the same time lubricating his length.

“B-bya!” he panted, “Gods!”

Still smiling down at him, Byakuya mounted the handsomely bound redhead, taking Renji’s inflamed arousal inside in maddeningly slow thrusts. Renji’s hips wanted to buck, but the sakura ropes held them firmly in place, protecting his injured back as Byakuya moved amorously atop him.

“Oh!” Renji gasped, “Bya, that’s…that f-feels so good!”

“It is intended to,” Byakuya managed, leaning forward to adjust the angle of his body and moving his pale hips faster.

Within moments, the two were at their limits, left breathless as they were thrown over and into the throes of a thunderous climax. Byakuya’s sakura ropes held them carefully until they had reached satedness and fallen still, then they shattered and the two collapsed into a flurry of delicious kisses.

“Y’know, you’re amazing,” Renji sighed contentedly, nuzzling his warmly smiling and clinging lover, “I wanna…”

He paused and groaned, rolling his eyes as a hell butterfly floated into the room.

“C’mon, not now!” he complained, reaching over to pick up something to throw at the offending insect, “Seriously?”

“Stop, Renji,” Byakuya said, catching him by the wrist, “It’s from Kuchiki Manor, and it’s marked urgent.”

The two sat up, wrapping their yukatas around them as their son, Takeshi’s voice began to sound.

“Father, something unexpected has happened. While exploring a reiatsu disturbance, it appears that Takeo and his vice-captain discovered what seems to be an old prison. I remembered the old prisons that you told me about…the ones that you said housed mixed bloods and what some called blood traitors. The place was filled with ice that seemed to be the application of someone’s power to stop a fire that was apparently consuming the place. Takeo and Momo melted the ice and found many bodies inside…but…they also found a survivor! He looks to be a young adult and during a short period of consciousness, he was able to tell us that his name is Tetsuya Kuchiki.”

Byakuya’s face went white.

“What is it?” Renji asked urgently, “Who is that?”

“I remembered you told me of a cousin you had, who was incarcerated in the prison, Itamigiri, and that was the name that Tetsuya gave us when asked about the prison. I wondered then if he could be a relative of the cousin you were looking for. Father, if it is, I know Tetsuya will be in danger. I am protecting Tetsuya carefully and we are trying to bring him fully awake, but I need to know what to do.”

Takeshi’s voice fell silent and Byakuya met Renji’s eyes with urgency.

“My father had a cousin named Takao, who was very close to him. Takao was a powerful member of the family, but he married a Rukongai woman, and this, in a time when such things were punished very harshly. Takao and his wife and their newborn son disappeared, and we suspected that they were taken to the illegal noble’s prison, Itamigiri. But, try as we might, we never found it. Still, I know the name of the child was Tetsuya. If indeed, this is Takao’s son, then we need to get back to the Seireitei immediately! Takeshi is a capable leader, but this is a matter that will divide the elders of the family and throw everything into chaos!


End file.
